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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28493748">Moon in Three Phases</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/disco_judas/pseuds/disco_judas'>disco_judas</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Cry of Mann</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, References to Drugs</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:06:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>536</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28493748</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/disco_judas/pseuds/disco_judas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Frank &amp; Courtney &amp; an ever-present observer</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Frank/Courtney</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Moon in Three Phases</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moon is a lit valley. A softly illuminated depression in the sky shining warmly down on the railside town. The passing trains leave little behind them that wasn’t there before. Predictable iron beasts. Frank's breath quickens at the sound of slow-running water as he waits for her on the station platform. Another swig from a hip flask and the knight can wait for his princess a little longer. Swallowed warmth suffusing his body, Frank cracks his neck and commits himself to a tough, mean-looking saunter around the train station. He had absolutely nowhere else to be, but he’d be damned if he’d let anyone else think that. Frank could swear he was feeling himself age as he waited for Courtney’s train to pull in, despite this, once her train did arrive, he didn’t look once in her direction until she addressed him. The wives of rich, powerful men must be discreet by default, Frank thought. “Hiya Frankie.” Courtney greets from behind sunglasses that cost more than Frank’s whole wardrobe. “Mrs. Mann.” he replies with a nod, only giving her a glance before drawing a toothpick from his pocket and looking away. The corner of her orange-painted smile twitches upward mirthlessly at her being referred to as Tank Mann’s wife. Frank hoped he would get to pay for that very soon.  He leads her to his car (being rented on Tank Mann’s dime), carrying her suitcase and opening her door, like he really was an attentive, professional personal assistant. Settled into the front passenger seat. Courtney Mann checks her lipstick in the mirror. “Take me somewhere fun, ‘kay?”</p><p>The moon is a smoked oil. Deep, fatty and rich pouring through the pine groves. The desperate knight holds his princess delicately amidst the shadows of the trees where lights of passing trains cannot see. He takes a deep breath to steady himself and  to will the shaking out of his hands. If he was being allowed to touch her then he was gonna do it right, god damn it. He carefully grasps her wrists and, holding her hands down by her hips, leans down to kiss her. Courtney kisses him back, rubbing off some of her orange lipstick onto Frank’s face. They stood like that for a moment more, making out in the woods, before Frank parted them to retrieve a thermos of adulterated liquor from his car to pour a drink for the thirsty princess. Thankful for the dark that would hopefully obscure the thin rime of powder that floated on top of Courtney’s drink, Frank took another swig from his silver flask while she drank. He threw the emptied flask to the ground and ran an extremely courageous hand over Courtney’s side appreciatively. While Frank watched, she took a curved knife from her bag and cut slices out of her dress, alternating between abject sobs and quiet, muffled laughter.</p><p>The moon is a delicious powder. It falls from the sky in soft, tempting waves. She stands in the empty clearing and inhales the moon through her nose, then mouth. Generous slices of bare skin show around her designer dress and the deposed princess smiles at her knight, allowing his devotion and feasting on his adoration.</p>
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